Explaining the FIRST Competition to Others...

[GeorgeM]

Good Morning Chief Community,

I have been a part of FIRST for a while now and have yet to come up with a succinct way of explaining the FIRST competition to the magnitude that I feel validates FIRST. I feel that at the end of my explanation the listener doesn't have a strong appreciation of our early mornings, late nights, dedication, passion, and then I am at the point where I am not doing Dean's homework properly of spreading what FIRST is.

I am usually asked "What is FIRST?", or even worse at competition, "Explain to me what is going on!". I begin by explaining that...

"FIRST ranges from ages 8-18 and reached over 250,000 kids across the world". (Thanks Morgan Freeman)

And quickly jump into FRC.

"At the beginning of each year, teams are given a game and six weeks to design and build a robot."

This is where I start to become shaky.

"Um the games could be Basketball, Soccer, Frisbee", to which they say "Wow! The robots play real sports!"
"Well...it's a modified version..."

Then I jump into this years game - the easy part

The next part is the tough part - Competition. Now that I have the time to write this post and get my thoughts down...it is easier to relay what information I want to get across, however, when I'm explaining I feel like I am missing some integral parts of competition.

"Teams are then put on an alliance together and compete with each other to win each match. However, in the next match they could be facing the same team they just competed with. Something FIRST calls Coopertition"

I never say the next part properly

"After the qualification matches are over, teams go through an alliance selection period. The top 8 seeds have the opportunity to pick their alliances, which they will then compete with in Eliminations."

I am never able to explain the serpentine alliance selection method.

If anyone has a succinct way of explaining the aforementioned, to the extent that elucidates the magnitude of FIRST...I would forever be in your debt.

The best explanation will get a Bubble Tea/Starbucks Coffee/Other Drink at Champs from me.

EDIT: That's to say I didn't even touch Scouting/Strategy/Pit Crew...There's so much!